Wheel-guard.



F. N. ROOT.

WHEEL GUARD.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 191a.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,, WASHINGTON, D. c.

F. N. ROOT.

WHEEL GUARD.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. 1913.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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F. N. ROOT.

WHEEL GUARD. I APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, ma.

1,163,689. Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOuRkPH (30., WASHINGTON. D. c. I

FRED N. ROOT, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

WHEEL-GUARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Application filed September 2, 1913. Serial No. 787,650.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, FRED N. ROOT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kalamazoo, Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in VVheel-Guards, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in wheel guards.

My improved wheel guard is especially designed by me for use on streetortramway cars, and I have illustrated the same as applied to such a car.My improvements may, however, be readily adapted for use in variousrelations.

The main objects of this invention are: first, to provide an improvedautomatic wheel guard; second, toprovide an improved automatic wheelguard which is very positive and effective in its action; third, toprovide an improved wheel guard which is not likely to be injured orrendered ineffective by coming into contact with a fixed object, such asa stone or paving block or other obstruction; fourth, to provide animproved automatic wheel guard or fender which is quickly and easily setor returned to its inoperative position; fifth, to provide an im provedwheel guard which is simple and economical in structure and not likelyto get out of repair.

Further objects, and objects relating to structural details, willdefinitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and meansdescribed in the following specification.

The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention is clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisspecification, in which:

Figure 1 is a detail vertical longitudinal section of a structureembodying the' features of my invention, on a line corresponding to lineA-A of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view, the frame only ofthe car being shown, parts being broken away to better show structuraldetails. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view similar to that of Fig. 2of a modified construction, the modification being in the arrangement ofthe locking toggle by which the guard is held in its inoperativeposition.

In the drawing similar reference characters refer to similar partsthroughout the several views, and the sectional view is taken looking inthe direction of the arrows at the ends of the section line.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the frame of a car, and 2, thedeck or platform thereof. The frame and the body may be of any suitableconstruction, that illustrated being mainly conventional and shown forthe purpose of illustrating an operative embodiment of my invention.

The rock guard shaft 3 is supported by bearings a mounted on the hangers5 depending from the frame cross piece 6. The bearings 4: are adjustablysecured by means of the bolts 7, the hangers having a series of holes 8so that the rock shaft may be positioned as may be required.

The guard comprises a plurality of curved spring guard members 9 whichare rigidly secured at one end, as by the bolts 10, to the rock shaft,the springs being provided with curved seats 11 partially embracing therock shaft. These spring guard members are of a general C-shape orofirregular curvature and are mounted facing forwardly. The spring guardmembers are so shaped and disposed on the rock shaft that they curveupwardly and rearwardly, then downwardly and rearwardly, and thendownwardly and forwardly in a curve corresponding to the longer side ofan ellipse above and disposed so that when in operative position theirlower ends are substantially parallel with the supporting frame and aresupported to slide in substantially horizontal position upon and areindependently held in yielding contact with the surface below the frameand constitute a scoop. The spring guard members are entirelyindependent from each other except through their independent connectionwith the rock shaft.

The lower ends of the spring guard members, when the guard is inoperative position, rest on the pavement or road bed, as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 1, their lower ends being at the rear of butadjacent to the vertical plane of the rock shaft. The spring guardmembers, being entirely inde pendent of each other, conform to the curveand unevenness of the pavement or road bed, and should one spring engagean obstruction such as a projecting stone or paving block, it yieldssufficiently to pass over the obstruction without in any wise disturbingthe guard as a whole, and one or more of the guard members will passinto a hole or depression in the road bed.

The spring guard members being shaped and mounted as described, are welladapted to withstand strains to which they may be subjected, withoutinjury thereto, and further, effectively pick up any object or a personwithout undue injury. 7

The guard members are, as stated, of a general Cshape, being, however,elongated, so that the springs will run under an object and it will bepicked up and entirely supported within the guard. The ends of thesprings are curved upwardly and -rearwardly, as shown, so that theyreadily pass over an ordinary fixed obstruction.

The guard is held in its inoperative or raised position by means of alocking toggle consisting of the links 13 and 14, the link 13 beingpivotally connected to the arm 15 on the rock shaft 3 by means of thepivot 16, while the link 1 1 is connected to the bracket 17 on the frameby means of the pivot 18.

The link 14 is formed of two members with a spacing piece 19 between thesame, the end of the link 13 being pivoted between the two members ofthe link 14: by means of the pivot 20. The spacing piece is adapted toprovide a stop 21,see dotted lines in Fig. 1,for the end of the link 13.This stop is disposed so that, when the toggle is extended, the pivot 20thereof drops below the plane of the pivots 16 and 18.

The toggle is actuated by means of the foot piece 22 which is arrangedthrough the deck 2, as shown in Fig. 1. hen this foot piece is presseddownwardly, the links actuate the rock shaft to raise the guard, and asthe pivot 20 passes the plane of the pivots 16 and 18, the togglebecomes locked.

To prevent the toggles being accidentally broken, as by the jar of thecar or the like,

I provide a spring 23, one end of which is connected by the link 24 tothe rock shaft arm 15. The other end of the spring is connected to thebracket 17. The tension of the spring, as thus connected, tends to holdthe toggle in its locking position, but as soon as the toggle is broken,it tends to throw the guard down and to hold it down. While gravity issufficient to cause the guard to drop when released, the spring quickensthe action, and also prevents rebound, and prevents the guard beingraised by the engagement of one of its members with a fixed object.

The guard is released by means of the trip 25 which, in the structureillustrated, is in the form of a frame-like bar suspended from the pivotrod 26 by means of the arms 27, the trip being disposed in front of theguard and hanging sufficiently low so that it will engage any objectthat may be upon the track which it is desired shall actuate the guard.

Extending rearwardly from the trip is a trip bar 28 having an inclinedor cam end 29 coacting with the cam block 30 on the link 14. As the tripis swung rearwardly, the bar 28 breaks the toggle, allowing the weightof the guard and the spring to swing it quickly to operative position.The trip bar 28 is, in the structures shown in Figs. 1 and 2, passedthrough the arm 15, which constitutes a support and guide therefor. Theguard is returned to its inoperativeposition or reset by means of thefoot piece 22, as stated.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the locking toggle is in front ofthe guard. In this construction, the link 31 is pivoted to a bracket 32on the front sill of the car frame, while the arm 33 on the rock shaftis disposed downwardly. The link 3&1 is connected to the arm and isformed of two members with a spacing block 35 between. The foot piece22is mounted, as in the structure shown in Fig. 1, on the linkconnecting pivot 20. This brings the foot piece well toward the front ofthe platform or deck so that it may be operated by the motornian withouthis leaving his usual position. The spring 23 is, in this'structure,connected at one end, to a lug 36 on the link 34, while it is connectedat its other end by the rods 37 to brackets 38 on the front sill of thecar frame. The trip is provided with an upwardly projecting arm 39 whichengages the link 31 to break the toggle when the trip is swungrearwardly. The operation is substantially the same as that of thestructure shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

My improved guard is very positive in its action and is not likely to beinjured by passing over roughor uneven pavements or road beds or cominginto contact with fixed objects in the road bed. Should one of the guardmembers engage with a fixed object, it will yield sufficiently to passover the same without raising the other guard members from the road bed.

' The springs are so shaped that a considerable movement is requiredbefore any of the springs are raised from their effective engagingposition; that is, from a position to effectively pick up any objectthat may be on the road bed.

i The guard may be raised or reset merely being possible and perhapsdesirable in certain conditions, as I believe the disclosure made willenable those skilled in the art to which my invention relates to embodymy invention as conditions or circumstances may require. I desire,however, to be understood as claiming my improvements specifically inthe form illustrated, as well as broadly within the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a wheel guard, the combination of a supporting frame, a rock shaftdisposed transversely thereof, a plurality of spring guards mounted bytheir upper ends to said rock shaft and curved upwardly and rearwardlyand downwardly in a curve corresponding to the longer side of an ellipseabove and disposed so that when in operative position their free lowerends are substantially parallel with the supporting frame and aresupported to slide in a substantially horizontal position upon and areindependently held in yielding contact with the surface below the frameand constitute a scoop, the several guard members being normally inalinement and independent from each other except through theirconnections to said rock shaft, and means for holding said guard in itsraised position, all coacting for the purpose specified.

2. In a wheel guard, the combination of a supporting frame, a guardcarrying rock shaft disposed transversely thereof, an upwardlyprojecting arm on said rock shaft, a pair of links pivotally connectedto each other, one of said links being pivoted to said arm and the otherbeing pivotally connected to the supporting frame, said links coactingto constitute a locking toggle for said rock shaft, a foot piece mountedon one of said links whereby, by pressing downwardly thereon, the linksare carried to their looking position, a spring connected at one end tosaid rock shaft and the other end to said frame, whereby the tension ofthe spring normally acts to hold the links in their locked position andwhen the toggle is broken to actuate the rock shaft, a trip pivotallysupported in front of the rock shaft, and a bar pivotally mounted onsaid trip and disposed through a slot in said arm on said rock shaft,whereby it is guided and supported, the rear end of said trip bar beingarranged to engage a tripping cam onto said toggle, whereby when saidtrip is swung rearwardly on its pivot, said toggle is broken.

3. In a wheel guard, the combination of a supporting frame, a guardcarrying rock shaft disposed transversely thereof, an up wardlyprojecting arm on said rock shaft, a pair of links pivotally connectedto each other, one of said links being pivoted to said arm and the otherbeing pivotally connected to the supporting frame, said links coactingto constitute a locking toggle for said rock shaft, a trip pivotallysupported in front of the rock shaft, and a bar pivotally mounted onsaid trip and disposed through a slot in said arm on said rock shaft,whereby it is guided and supported, the rear end of said trip bar beingarranged to engage a tripping cam onto said toggle, whereby when saidtrip is swung rearwardly on its pivot, said toggle is broken.

4. In a wheel guard, the combination of a supporting frame, a guardcarrying rock shaft disposed transversely thereof, an arm on said rockshaft, a pair of links pivotally connected to each other, one of saidlinks being pivoted to said arm and the other being pivotally connectedto the supporting frame, said links coacting to constitute a lockingtoggle for said rock shaft, a foot piece mounted on one of said linkswhereby, by pressing downwardly thereon, the links are carried to theirlocking position, a spring connected at one end to said rock shaft andthe other end to said frame, whereby the tension of the spring normallyacts to hold the links in their locked position and when the toggle isbroken to actuate the rock shaft, and a trip pivotally supported infront of the rock shaft and provided with a toggle engaging member,whereby, when the trip is swung rearwardly, said toggle is broken.

5. In a wheel guard, the combination of a supporting frame, a guardcarrying rock shaft disposed transversely thereof, an arm on said rockshaft, a pair of links pivotally connected to each other, one of saidlinks be ing pivoted to said arm and the other being pivotally connectedto the supporting frame, said links coacting to constitute a lockingtoggle for said rock shaft, and a trip pivotally supported in front ofthe rock shaft and provided with a toggle engaging member, whereby, whenthe trip is swung rearwardly, said toggle is broken.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presenceof two witnesses.

FRED N. ROOT. 1,. s.]

lVitnesses:

LUELLA G. GREENFIELD, ANNIE E. PARRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

